chewing her nails

[Strider]

Ok, I have never heard of this before..

When we are cuddled up on the couch, she will sometimes start chewing her toe nails. Is this normal or a sign of a problem? I keep her nails trimmed about once a week.

 

[Mally's Mom]

That's a very interesting question. Mally will chew his nails sometimes. I will think he is chewing a rawhide and he will be chewing his nails.

 

[mbfrench]

I have never seen Trapp or Jasper do it,but I have seen Earnhardt do it many times.I look at his paws often,as he is not really cooperative about manicures.

Interesting observation really.

When he is doing it,he does not seem to be trying to chew his nail off or make it shorter.I just thought it was part of his cleaning routine.When he does it,I always make sure to check the paw to see if there is something funky going on,and there never is~

 

[labgirl]

Yes, dogs do chew their nails if they feel they are getting too long. I discovered this when Cadbury's dew claw was looking rather long, the next day I asked my trainer about clipping it only to find it was suddenly short. My trainer explained dogs will often chew their nails to shorten them.

Well it saved me a job anyway! I do like a self-sufficient dog!

 

[Lightplum]

Yes I was going to say its when the think their nails are too long. I forget alot of the time about one of mine dewclaw as shes the only one with them...and she will chew it as to tell me uhh you forgot! Also too she will do it if her nail is split or has a crack, she tends to crack her nails more than the others too..